How consumer mindsets in ethnic Chinese societies affect the intention to buy Fair Trade products

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how psychological antecedents (i.e. consumer mindsets) and individual difference characteristics (i.e. moral identity) affect the intention to purchase Fair Trade products based on the triadic reciprocal causation model in social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986). The primary factors that influence ethical consumption decisions in ethnic Chinese societies were explored by integrating the unique cultural environment of the Chinese. Design/methodology/approach The study effective sample comprised university students and professors. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses and indirect effects. Results showed that moral identity internalization had a mediating effect on the relationship between a collectivistic mindset and the intention to purchase Fair Trade products. Findings A high moral identity symbolization had a moderating effect on the relationship between a collectivistic mindset and the intention to purchase Fair Trade products. This demonstrated that the two dimensions of moral identity, internalization and symbolization, play different roles and have different functions in regards to the intention to purchase Fair Trade products. Research limitations/implications Future studies are urged to examine this issue at a cultural level by performing a cross-cultural comparison and to integrate consumer heterogeneity for a deeper examination of the interaction between demographic factors and psychological traits on consumer behaviours regarding Fair Trade products. Originality/value This study indicates that moral identity internalization is the primary factor that influences ethical consumption decisions in Chinese societies. In terms of the moderating effect of moral identity symbolization, results showed that the higher an individual’s moral identity symbolization, the stronger the relationship between a collectivistic mindset and the intention to purchase Fair Trade products is. These results can serve as a reference for marketing communications and market segmentation policies in the business world.

Impact of Consumers’ Self-Construal, Empathy, and Moral Identity on Purchase Intention toward Cause-Related Marketing Goods: A Perspective of the Moderated Mediation Model

“…This splitting approach has been verified by numerous scholars such as Gelman and Park (2009), who verified that segmenting data into groups of 1/4 -1/3 achieves more satisfactory outcomes than segmenting data into groups of 1/2. Similar research methods have also been verified as effective in studies by numerous psychometricians (Yen et al, 2017).…”

“…The Cronbach's α values for the finalized dimensions were all greater than 0.7 with an overall reliability of 0.913, indicating that the items in the questionnaire all possessed favorable reliability. In addition, this study referenced the study by Yen et al (2017) to verify whether the two moral identity dimensions moderated the mediating effect of empathy. Following the recommendation of Kelly (1939), respondents with average scores lower than 27% in the two moral identity dimensions were assigned to the low score group, whereas those with average scores higher than 73% were assigned to the high score group.…”

Does Consumer Empathy Influence Consumer Responses to Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility? The Dual Mediation of Moral Identity

“…Winterich, Mittal, and Aquino (2013) [59] found that the effect of recognition on prosocial behaviour was most prominent in individuals with high moral identity symbolization. Yen et al (2017) [61] found that moral identity symbolization interfered with the collectivist mindsets of consumers in their purchase intention toward fair trade products, and this interference effect was particularly pronounced in individuals with high moral identity symbolization. Many studies related to past charitable behaviours have observed influence only from moral identity internalization [20,21,45], possibly because in Western cultures, the effect of symbolization is not significant.…”

“…Therefore, even if consumers exhibit emotional responses to the charitable activities of firms, they may adopt different attitudes toward charitable activities in terms of identification, which influences their responses to corporate philanthropy. Studies have found that in Chinese society, where a collectivist mindset dominates, the moral identity internalization of consumers influences the intention to purchase fair trade products [61]. In addition, Western research has proven that moral identity internalization influences purchase intention with respect to CRM [20].…”

“…A portion of the theoretical framework in the present study was extended from a study by Yen et al (2017) [61] that examined the different roles played by moral identity internalization and moral identity symbolization in Chinese society. Research has confirmed that consumer empathy influences consumer evaluations of strategic CSR through moral identity internalization, and consumer empathy influences consumer purchase intentions toward strategic CSR through moral identity symbolization; this was a contribution to moral identity theory.…”